Top 3 Best and Worst Books* of 2023

Hi Everybody!!

While today is not quite the last Monday, the next two are Christmas and New Year’s Day. This means that I’ll be off for the next two weeks, so this will mark the last post of the year! Let’s celebrate it with the 4th annual year-end countdown of books* I reviewed in 2023!

*This also includes movies.

Like before, I’ll pick 6 titles for this list – 3 for the best and 3 for the worst! Now, I have only one question for you!

I sure am! Let’s get started with the Best Books of 2023!

This year I read a lot of 5-star books and watched many 5-star movies. This made it pretty difficult to choose which ones were the very best. All of them were in a variety of genres. But at the end of the day, I had to narrow down the best list to 3 of those titles, which I’d love to show all of you now.

3. Late Bloomer: Finding My Authentic Self at Midlife by Melissa Giberson

There are plenty of stories of people discovering themselves at a later age, but Late Bloomer: Finding My Authentic Self at Midlife by Melissa Giberson stands out for its sheer rawness and honesty. Melissa is fully aware that she’s not a perfect human being, and she tries her hardest to keep some form of normalcy within her family after she realizes that she’s a lesbian. And yet, things don’t work out that way. On top of that, she has to reconcile her sexuality with her husband, kids, and Jewish faith. In addition, she can be funny, which certainly balances out the times where she experiences her low points. It’s a fantastic memoir and can be read by anybody regardless of sexuality, age, and faith!

2. The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Even though I’m no longer a Children’s Librarian, I still love to read juvenile literature simply because they can be deep and simple. The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is a great example of that. While it’s basically a story of a girl overcoming struggles of having a clubfoot while being displaced in World War II, it contains a lot of layers. Many characters are morally grey instead of black and white. Caregiver Susan claims that she’s not a nice person, yet she ends up being one, and obviously, Ada is a flawed child who has a hard time trusting others due to trauma inflicted by her truly awful mother. It even has a interesting way of dealing with lies and liars. What makes this book truly work is that it primarily focuses on Ada gaining strength to face her fears, combat prejudice, and develop trust with others. It does these things in realistic ways, while constantly reminding the audience of the historic backdrop. This novel is a great historical fiction novel for kids, and a perfect representation of the serious titles that I read for this website!

1. Dog Man by Dav Pilkey

If The War That Saved My Life represents the best of the serious books that I’ve read, then Dog Man by Dav Pilkey symbolizes the silly side. This was the funniest title that I’ve read this year. It captures the active imaginations of 7-8 years old in the best way possible ranging from the illustrations to the situations Dog Man finds himself in. I still smile anytime I think about how Petey the cat tries to eliminate all text from every book in order to make people dumb and how the hot dog wieners attempt to cause trouble despite their size. I also appreciate how Pilkey manages to find some time to make fun of those who object to filth in books. No matter how silly the plots may be, it fully commits. It’s completely understandable as to why this has spawn many other titles in the series, which I hope to cover each one in the future!

Before, we get to the worst list, I want to mention that the chosen titles bothered me for one main reason: they all try to distinguish themselves with the story they are telling, but they fall flat on their faces to various degrees

Now that we got that out of the way, it’s now time to get to the Top 3 Worst Books* of 2023!

3. Goodbye, Mr. Chips 1969 Movie

I spend the first half of this year analyzing every adaptation of the novella Goodbye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton. While they weren’t the greatest pieces of media on the planet, they had a lot of good elements that helped to enhance the book. The 1969 movie musical contained a lot of changes to the story in order to make it stand out, especially from the faithful 1939 version, but they don’t really work. I go into a lot of detail as to why, but the main problem is that it’s a musical. I still wonder why the writers and producers thought that a story about an old English schoolmaster looking back on his life should have music and lyrics. Songwriter Leslie Bricusse is capable of musicalizing books (Scrooge and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory are great examples), but the songs overall needed more oomph and less generic lyrics.

Despite the problems, it still succeeds to some degree. Some of the tunes are catchy, and musical numbers like “London is London” and “Schooldays” are well executed. Moreover, the scene in which Mr. Chips finds out that Catherine died remains the best interpretation of that story beat from the novella. Also, I may have been a little harsh on director Herbert Ross. After all, it was his first movie, and he was figuring this out even though some of his choices are flat out strange. He would go on to make films like The Goodbye Girl, The Turning Point, and most importantly, the original Footloose. Basically, he directed flicks with lots of romance and dancing! The point is that Goodbye, Mr. Chips 1969 movie is a misguided attempt to be different from the previous adaptation. Maybe one day, there could be an adaptation set to music, but it needs to be in better hands.

2. A Farewell to Arms 1957 Movie

If the 1969 version of Goodbye, Mr. Chips tries to stand out from the original movie by being different from the source material to some degree, then the 1957 adaptation of A Farewell to Arms attempts to do this in the opposite direction. It’s even more faithful to the novel of the same name by Ernest Hemingway than the 1932 film is. However, it falls flat on its face because it fails to understand how to adapt that author in the first place. It drags out almost every moment from the novel because it wants to capture every possible word that Hemingway wrote, yet it’s not the worst example of this. Furthermore, there are weak lead performances, sudden tonal changes, and desperate attempts to be Gone With the Wind without understanding why that movie worked in the first place.

It does have some interesting supporting performances from Mercedes McCambridge (aka the lady who voiced the demonic Linda Blair in The Exoricst (1973)), Elaine Strich, and Vittorio de Sica. However, they don’t really overcome the main problems of the flick. It’s just another bloated movie produced by David O’Selznick. Even though the 1932 version isn’t particular great, it understands that the core is the romance between a soldier and a nurse and that everything else is fluff. Also, it contains striking images even if they don’t enhance the story. The 1957 one does not. News broke within the last two weeks that Tom Blyth from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie was cast as Frederick Henry in another adaption of A Farewell to Arms this time to be directed by Michael Winterbottom. And, it’s set to start filming late next year. I hope that version isn’t as bloated as and better the comprehends the story than the 1957 one ever did.

1. The Flight of Celestial Race Horses by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow

The Flight of Celestial Race Horses by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow is so bad that it’s hilarious. Berdimuhamedow tries to present himself as a strong man to the people of Turkmenistan when he was the dictator (uh, I mean president) by protecting the national horse, the Akhal-Teke. Yet, he does this with what is essentially a picture book filled with poorly photoshopped Akhal-Tekes and passages that imply he wants to have sex with them. It doesn’t help that the text is mostly garbled that I had to read it out loud. Granted, that may be due to translation; I’m not entirely sure. The biggest kicker is there is no self awareness. It’s disturbing to some degree, but to me, this makes it even funnier. Because of this clumsy propaganda, I can’t take Berdimuhamedow seriously. If I get executed for criticizing The Flight of Celestial Race Horses, I won’t regret it at all.

And that was the Top 3 Best and Worst Books* of 2023! I hope all of you enjoyed it. I look forward to having plenty of new reviews for 2024! See you next year!

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Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator – Audiobook Narrator Edition – Eric Idle vs. Douglas Hodge

Over three years ago, I reviewed two Charlie and the Chocolate Factory audiobooks. One was narrated by Eric Idle, and the other was done by Douglas Hodge. I had such a fun time analyzing their narrations of the same story that today, I’m going to do the same thing, but with the 1972 sequel Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl. Coincidentally enough, Idle and Hodge narrated the two separate audiobooks, so it’s a rematch between the Nudge Nudge guy and the guy who played Alfred Pennyworth in Joker (2019)!

Before I get started, I need to get something off my chest. I struggled to figure out the point of Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator storywise. It has little to do with the chocolate factory and the events that took place in the prior book. It’s as if Dahl wrote the sequel due to 1. contractual obligations and/or 2. wanting to deliberately make it unadaptable because of his dissatisfaction with the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Nonetheless, it was enjoyable to a degree because of the situations Wonka, Charlie, and the latter’s family got into, the locations they went to, and the vocal performances of both Idle and Hodge.

So let’s get started!

1. Charlie Bucket:

Idle still voices Charlie with politeness, but with newfound assertiveness that was mostly absent from the first book. After all, Charlie just received the chocolate factory, and Wonka stressed that he has to show him how to run it. It’s a well deserved improvement.

Meanwhile, with Hodge, Charlie sounds a little more mature. I don’t know if I picked this up while reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but it’s an odd decision given that the events in Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator apparently take place on the same day as the tour of the chocolate factory. Hodge still sounds fine, but I question the decision to make Charlie sound older. 

First point goes to Idle!

2. The Grandparents:

Idle once again channels fellow Monty Python member Michael Palin with his narration as Grandpa Joe. Not much has changed on that front. He gives the rest of the grandparents their own vocal distinctions. Grandpa George is like Joe but with less Palin influence. The grandmothers were my favorite. Grandma Josephine was voiced with a brash,but feminine Yorkshire accent, while Grandma Georgina had a softer tone. 

Once again, Hodge let me down with his performance of grandparents.  His performance as Grandpa Joe didn’t bother me since I got used to the spriteness.  The problem was how the rest of the grandparents sounded almost the same. They all had a similar cranky tone, but I was amused when Hodge voiced Grandma Georgina as even more frail and cantankerous when she ages to 358 years. Like I mentioned in the previous matchup, one of the most important aspects of recording audiobooks is to distinguish each and every character, even if it is very slight. 

To be fair on Hodge’s part, Idle has a whole lot of experience playing older characters, especially the Pepperpots – the old ladies on Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

Idle has another point!

3. Supporting Characters:

With Idle, the American President and his administration had their own versions of the American dialect that British people like to use to mock them. I enjoyed his take on Miss Tibbs as an old, commanding lady. He even does French, Russian, and Chinese accents for characters of those nationalities. The third was pretty cringy.

Speaking of cringe, the Oompa Loompas were improved. Idle developed his flow more, which made their chants feel more like limericks than raps.

Hodge too voiced the American President and his administration with their own kind of American accent that British people use to make fun of them. I especially enjoyed how he portrays the President as the type seen in 1990’s American action movies like Independence Day. He almost sounds like Dean Winters (Mayhem in the Allstate commercials) while voicing that character. The Chinese character was less stereotypical than Idle’s, yet it was still cringe. My only complaint with Hodge in this category is that I wish he would’ve gone further with Miss Tibbs. She barely made an impression with her faint voice.

As for the Oompa Loompas, Hodge demonstrates his great flow when reciting their chants. At various points, it even sounds like they are going to break into song. It was amusing during those sections.

Having evaluated these supporting characters, Hodge finally gets a point.

4. Character Consistency:

As mentioned in the previous review, Idle is known for doing a variety of silly voices throughout his career. It was mostly consistent. Sometimes his English accent slipped while narrating various American characters.

Hodge was also fairly consistent too. He was able to maintain various accents even though again, I wish he would’ve distinguished various supporting characters more.

At this point, I will give both Idle and Hodge half a point each because maintaining the characters’ voices is hard!

So far, here are the scores:

Idle: 2.5

Hodge: 1.5

5. Pacing:

Idle is slower in his narration this time around, but still engaging.

Hodge is still agile with his vocal delivery, and his transitions are still good.

Again, half a point is awarded to both!

6. Volume:

In my previous review, I complained how Idle could be too abrupt with his volume. I don’t know if it’s because Idle quickly learned how to perform in an audio-only environment, the sound mixing was improved, or both. Nevertheless, this is handled much better in this audio version. 

With Hodge’s volume, I’m simply going to repeat what I said in that review because it’s the same evaluation. I didn’t have to tweak the volume as much when Hodge was narrating. He would take his time from being quiet to being loud, and still retain that vocal balance to prevent the listener from adjusting the volume constantly.

So, the point goes to Hodge!

7. Willy Wonka:

Idle vocally embodies Wonka in the same way he did in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: an eccentric and highly imaginative fellow. Like I said before, I am perfectly fine with this since Idle has a natural affinity for Wonka’s mannerisms.

Hodge voices Wonka in a similar fashion, but I noticed a more sinister element to his interpretation. I don’t know if this was present in the previous audiobook for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, yet I found it to be intriguing. Despite that, I gravitated towards Idle’s performance because that one was more suited to the story being told.

Last point goes to Idle!

Now! Here are the final scores:

Idle: 4

Hodge: 3

Even though Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator is lackluster compared to its predecessor, Idle and Hodge did a good job with elevating the material to make it their own. It wasn’t that close of a race. Idle had the edge for majority of the time because of his vocal delivery as well as the subtler differences in some of the characters that made him stand out more than Hodge.

Thanks for tuning in for another Audiobook Versus! 

Also, guest Amanda Garrison from the Fictional Hangover Podcast and I cover Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator in the latest episode of the Adapt Me Podcast! It’s out now at this link!

And next week, I will be posting my Top 3 Best and Worst Books I’ve read in 2023, so stay tuned for that!

Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates. Also feel free to email me here for any review suggestions, ideas, or new titles!

Literary Travel – Cincinnati* Edition

*Ok, my literary travel was technically in Kentucky and Ohio, but they were in the Metro- Northern Kentucky-Cincinnati area.

Hi Everyone!

About three months ago, my husband and I went to Cincinnati, Ohio for his childhood friend’s wedding. We decided to make it a vacation because of neither of us had been there before. We did a bunch of things like go to two book-related places that I want to show you all! All of the photos used were ones that I took.

First up is the Campbell County Public Library, Newport Branch in Newport, Kentucky.

The Campbell County Public Library system was established on September 5, 1978. It’s comprised of four branches – Cold Spring, Carrico/Fort Thomas, Alexandria, and Newport – all in the namesake county as well as three library express locations where patrons can pick up and drop off items in the cities of Melbourne, Silver Grove, and Newport.

We had a lot of time to kill before we went to a welcome party in Covington, so we went to the Newport Branch, which was established on May 16, 2004. We’ll make sure to celebrate its 20th anniversary next year!

When we walked inside, it became clear that it was a fairly simple library. Even though it didn’t have a lot of frills, their organizational skills were through the roof. Everywhere I went contained well-placed and eye-catching signs indicating where what books were located there and what types as well as nice displays. My personal favorites were the easy reader labels for the children’s section. They divided the books into themes like “Concepts,” “Farms,” “Dinosaurs,” etc., with the corresponding image.

The juvenile area also had some beautiful murals, including one that says, “Books are the quietest and consistent of friends.”

In addition, that section even had a dollhouse and a small table, where children could play checkers!

The adult side of the library had a similar organization with its signs and other visual cues to indicate what kind of items they had. For example, their DVD and music CDs sections had color-coded labels showing what genre they were in.

A unique aspect that the library had was the Kentucky Talking Book Library. This provides free library service to those who can’t read traditional print due to visual, physical, or reading disability. They contain audio and Braille materials and are sent to patrons physically or digitally.

Another thing that made the library stand out was that it displayed art made by students at The Children’s Art Academy. It also had an initiative to welcome refugees and immigrants during its Welcome Week, which was to be held later in September. The latter was a collaboration with the Kentucky Refugee Ministries.

When I needed to sit, the there were plenty of chairs (with and without cushions), and they were comfortable. My husband can attest. He was sitting in one of them during the time that I was looking around.

Finally, I appreciated its sense of humor. When we first walked into the library, my husband and I encountered this sign. It was very amusing.

To top that off, their mascot Cam the Library Lion was wearing this for the library’s Summer Reading program.

Overall, even though it wasn’t the flashiest of libraries I’ve been in, I was impressed with the amount of organization. I knew exactly what items were in front of me at all times. Additionally, I appreciate how it tries to actively engage its community in a variety of ways as well as its sense of humor. Along with their website, you can check them out on Facebook and the platform formally known as Twitter!

And now, the second and last book-related of the trip: The Book Bus Depot!

Located in Sharonville, Ohio, it’s a brick and mortar bookstore, where the Book Bus resides. Owner Melanie Moore takes said book bus – a 1962 Volkswagen pickup truck – to various parts of the Cincinnati area to get people interested in reading, especially children. The truck carries tons of books, and there’s a map in the store that shows where it goes. As a former school teacher, Melanie even transfers profits from The Book Bus and “buys new children’s books for low income area schools and organizations to give all children the opportunity to experience the joy of reading.”

On our last day in Cincinnati on a Sunday, my husband and I were lucky to not only see the Book Bus in the flesh, but also to meet various people who review books on Instagram as well as Melanie herself!

The book reviewers at the store were a welcoming community that always absorbs new members no matter where they are. Even one of those bookstagrammers Alyson Wick mentioned later on that they always meet a person who happens to adore books at The Book Bus Depot. You should follow her as well as Alexandra, Becky, Melissa, Jenn, and Rose!

Melanie was a sweet lady, who clearly cares about the importance of reading. She even allows kids to pick out one free book from a special compartment in the check-out desk.

As for the store itself, it only consists of one space, yet it’s spacious. The shelves are located along the walls and are well labeled like for used books as well as ones published by Persephone Books – a woman-owned publisher based outside of London that can only be found in the United States at The Book Bus Depot.

The bookstore also had some lovely displays. They occasionally had cards written by staff members about the books they’ve read.

There were too many things that I loved about The Book Bus Depot, but one of the impressive things about it was the check-out desk that was designed to look like the book bus itself! I spent over $100 on books and a bag at that store, and I don’t regret it.

Overall, The Book Bus Depot is a wonderful bookstore that everybody should go to if they are ever in the Cincinnati area. It’s a run by a person who deeply cares about the importance of reading, and the store and the bus demonstrate that. The store is a welcoming place, where one could meet various book nerds of all kinds and stay in touch with them. Along with their website, you can check them out on Facebook and Instagram.

And that concludes the fourth installment of “Literary Travel!” I hope all of you had a great time on this trip. I hope to have another one to Las Vegas in the new year, so stay tuned for that!

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Adapt Me Podcast – Firekeeper’s Daughter

Hi Everybody!

The latest episode of the Adapt Me Podcast is up right now. In it, guest Alyson Wick and I discuss how we would adapt Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley. We talk about how we would honor its spirit with tone and representation and even reveal the latest developments of the Netflix adaptation currently in production. Check it out at this link!

In the meantime, I have a review of the book itself, so check that out too!

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The Kingdom of Sweets Book Review

Full disclosure: I was given a copy of this book by Dutton and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Christmas is around the corner, and that means more adaptations of timeless stories like The Nutcracker. Like many others, I grew up watching many versions and hearing its luscious score in television shows and films like Fantasia.  The characters and music have inspired many books, movies, and songs. This includes today’s subject The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen. It’s a dark and fresh take on the classic tale.

The Kingdom of Sweets is about a pair of twins cursed by birth whose lives are forever changed on one Christmas. When Natasha and Clara Stahlbaum were born, a mysterious sorcerer named Drosselmeyer bestowed them with their destinies. Clara is given light, and she becomes the favorite and grows into beauty and ease. On the other hand, Natasha is disposed with darkness and is perceived as being ugly. As a result, she stands in her sister’s shadow. But on one Christmas Eve, Natasha gets her opportunity for revenge, for Drosselmeyer brings a Nutcracker to the party, which provides an entry to the Kingdom of Sweets – a deceptively beautiful world. In the land of snow and sugar, Natasha encounters the Sugar Plum Fairy, who is full of gifts and bargains and is much more powerful than Drosselmeyer. As Natasha uncovers her dark destiny, she must reckon with the earthly and magical powers and decide on where she truly belongs.

Before I begin with this review, I want to mention some personal connections with The Nutcracker. When I was 5 years old, I danced as one of the clowns in my dance class when they were a part of The Nutcracker recital. Then, in my junior year of high school, my all-girl choir class got to sing the “Waltz of the Snowflakes” at the end of Act I for a production at the Detroit Opera House. Those were some wonderful experiences.

This is truly a fresh take on the story. Apparently, Johansen was inspired to write The Kingdom of Sweets upon asking why Drosselmeyer singled out Clara for the special gift in the original tale and ballet. I love the different interpretations of the well-known characters. The Sugar Plum Fairy in earlier versions tends to be a fairy who happens to be the one everyone looks up to in the kingdom. In this novel, she rules over the kingdom with an iron fist and makes it look different depending on who is visiting. LIke Natasha, she too is hell-bent on revenge. With Drosselmeyer, he is portrayed as a kind old godfather and inventor who disappears after he gives the Nutcracker to Clara. In this book, he is much more of an enigma who has experimented with the dark arts and might have more nefarious motives. Also, the family is indebted to him in many ways, including financially. And then, there is Clara. In many adaptations, she is a nice, albeit a bit bland, girl, who gets sucked into fighting some rats and the world of sweets. The Kingdom of Sweets does an overhaul on her by making her a beautiful, but spoiled teenager who gets everything she wants and doesn’t get punished. While I understand Natasha’s twin bond with Clara, I despised the latter because of how selfish she was. Clara was like Aurora from Sleeping Beauty except unlikeable.

I understand that some readers didn’t like how every character was bothersome. I think that this was deliberate. Since Natasha is bestowed with darkness, she sees the wolves in almost every person she encounters. Hence, the flaws are going to shine brighter from her point of view. With that being said, some reviewers mentioned that she is so unlikeable that they didn’t want to root for her. I will admit that Natasha tested my patience sometimes. She commits some horrific acts like one on Clara in order to be with the boy she thinks she loves. At the same time, the feelings of being left out and having something taken away from you with little to no reason at all are ones that I know all too well. Natasha has a hard time moving on from various injustices, and so do I. In addition, she realizes overtime that she has some lightness, while Clara possesses some darkness. On a side note, there wouldn’t be much of a story had Natasha simply let go of her love much quicker.

Now, let’s talk about the titular place. Despite its name, it isn’t so sweet. I mean, it was at first because it was designed to reflect the emotions of the human who enters it. For example, when Clara arrives, it is described like one would expect in the ballet with lots of snow on the outside and pink on the inside. The kingdom remains that way when Natasha gets in and enters the ball, but overtime, it becomes more dark and spooky to mirror her mental state. This too was a unique interpretation of the location as things are not always what they seem to be.

Despite my praise for the book, there are two things that bother me about it. The first is Natasha’s name. Why Natasha? In Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffman and in the famous ballet, Clara has two siblings: a brother named Fritz and a sister named Louise. If it makes one feel better, I didn’t know that Clara had a sister until I started doing research for this review. Fritz is present in The Kingdom of Sweets, and he slowly descends into madness after he encounters the Nutcracker for the first time. But, there is no Louise. I’m assuming that Natasha is supposed to be Louise, but why? Did Johansen think that Natasha was a more suitable name for the dark one? If that’s so, she could’ve incorporated Louise like having the main character be named that, but when she leaves Russia, she could change it to Natasha to start anew, or vice versa. This would’ve paid tribute to the original sister while still maintaining the author’s interpretation of the material.

The second is the epilogue. The book itself is structured like a 5-act opera with an overture and curtain. This is ironic given that the best known adaptation of Nutcracker and the Mouse King is a two-act ballet. I don’t have a problem with this since it gives the story more structure than the ballet does. My problem is that the epilogue aka Curtain is unnecessary. It details the life that Natasha lives after she leaves Russia and includes what happened to that country when it was transformed into the Soviet Union. The novel sprinkles in some subtle historical references like Ratsputin, Lenin, and even Dracula throughout, for even fantasy books are rooted in some form of reality. However, the Curtain provided this more in a more heavy-handed way. Sometimes, it’s best to leave it to the reader’s imagination as to what happens at the end. I wish it would have done that.

Overall, The Kingdom of Sweets is a unique retelling of the beloved story of The Nutcracker. The darker tone brings out certain elements always present in the tale, but not always acknowledged, especially why Clara is chosen to have the nutcracker. It’s not perfect, but it’s a well suited story for this time of the season. I would recommend it to those who love stories about cursed sisters and the many versions of The Nutcracker. The book will be out tomorrow, so go check it out!

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The War That Saved My Life Book Review

Every year, whenever the winner of the Newbery Medal is announced, there will always be a handful of readers who say, “This title should have won.”

Readers are entitled to their opinions, but since 2016, some have mentioned that The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley should’ve been rewarded with the Newbery Medal instead of the actual winner The Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña. The latter is the first picture book to obtain the coveted prize. After reading the former, it’s easy to see why readers might think that way, especially how it deals with disabilities, abuse, and overcoming one’s struggles.

The War That Saved My Life is about Ada – an eleven-year-old girl who lives with a clubfoot during World War 2. She has never left her family’s one-room apartment. Her mother is far too humiliated by Ada’s disability to let her outside. When her brother Jamie is shipped out to London to escape the war, Ada takes the chance and leaves too. The siblings end up in a village in Kent with Susan Smith – a woman who initially didn’t want to have children, yet she takes them in anyway. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan, and Susan begins to love the children. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

This book is a 2016 Newbery Honor Book, and it’s easy to see why. Its protagonist is disabled, yet the novel only feels sorry for her when it needs to. For the rest of the time, it highlights what Ada does to become more independent and trusting of others. For example, she learns to ride Butter – a horse that once belonged to Susan’s friend Becky. She figures out how to ride the pony, but it’s with the help of Fred – a farrier at the Thorton estate – and Maggie Thorton – a girl Ada’s age that she befriends – that she is able to take care of the horse. It also shows her as a flawed child. At times, I was frustrated by her because it was clear that the people around her wanted to help, but she would have none of it. However, I understood why she felt that way due to the trauma inflicted by her mother and the environment she lived in prior to residing with Susan. It also helps that she writes her story a few years after the events, which allows her to have a more balanced perspective on it.

Now, let’s talk about Susan. Susan is a woman who at first doesn’t want children because she claims “she’s not nice.”

She’s only assigned to take care of Ada and Jamie because they were the only ones left at the station, and Lady Thorton wanted to find them a home for the time being. Over time, Susan learns more about the siblings and how to fend for them. This is especially true when Ada has her panic attacks whenever she’s reminded of the abuse her mother inflicted onto her. Once Susan understands why Ada freaks out at these moments, she wraps her up in a heavy blanket and tries to soothe her. Additionally, when Susan finds out that Jamie’s teacher has been assaulting him at school for being left handed, she marches down to the school house and confronts her head on. Susan doesn’t always get it right, but she slowly begins to love both Jamie and Ada.

In addition, I enjoy how the book deals with lies and liars. In it, Susan relays to Ada that lies are things people tell to others or to themselves to protect them, while liars are people who fib in order to maintain control over others. Ada tells lies to others about her clubfoot because she wants to protect herself from other people’s prejudices, yet that doesn’t make her into a liar (unlike her mother). I like how it doesn’t entirely judge people for lying, but of course, it’s better to tell the truth. Overtime, Ada tells her real story to others as she becomes more trusting of others as well as herself.

Speaking of prejudices, I also like how the novel handles that. In various media, those with strong animosity against certain people are usually depicted as bad, backward, and even crazy individuals. In The War That Saved My Life, those who possess prejudices against Ada and her disability are often average people like you and me. For example, Ada comes across Jamie’s friend Billy and his family at the station when they’re about to leave. She smiles at Billy’s youngest sister, yet the mother “[pulls] her a little bit away from [her], as though [her] bad foot might be catching” (p. 70)

Later, the mom says to Ada, “I’m that surprised to see you out with ordinary people. I thought they’d put you in an asylum” (p. 71).

Ada didn’t know what to say at that time. She soon reveals that she waved to the mom whenever the latter walked by, and she would wave back. Ada thought that the adult was a nice person. When some time has passed, Ada sees a spy and reports it to the police. The officer at the desk initially doesn’t believe her, but once she says that her foot is a long way from her brain, he agrees to help to find the culprit.

I also want to point out that there are parts that can be tough to get through. For example, the scenes in the apartment can be intense. This is especially true when Ada uses rather cruel methods to keep Jamie in the apartment, and when their mother stuffs her in the cabinet. Fortunately, that’s mainly in the two chapters. As I mentioned earlier, there are moments in which Ada has panic attacks. These sections can be difficult to read through, yet as mentioned before, the novel’s emphasis is on overcoming certain obstacles instead of wallowing in the suffering. This point is clearly illustrated near the end when Ada comes up with a rather ingenious way to take her and Jamie off their mother’s hands after it’s revealed that their mom only took them back to avoid paying the government more money to keep them away.

After examining The War That Saved My Life, I can clearly understand why it got snubbed for the Newbery Medal. The best comparison I can make is that The War That Saved My Life is Saving Private Ryan, while Last Stop on Market Street is Shakespeare in Love at the 1998 Academy Awards. The latters are feel-good media with some exploration on topics like class, while the formers can be too intense for some despite how good the materials are. Also, both The War That Saved My Life and Saving Private Ryan take place during the same conflict. I can see why in the end, the votes went to Last Stop on Market Street, yet that doesn’t mean people won’t stop loving The War That Saved My Life.

To summarize, The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is a wonderful historical fiction juvenile book about gaining strength despite fear and prejudice during World War II. Ada is a complex character who’s relatable for both kids and adults. Sure, it can be tough to read sometimes, but the book’s focus on Ada overcoming her fears as opposed to her suffering makes it worth the read. I would recommend this to readers who like reading historical fiction, specifically during World War 2, and about disabled characters. People will always love certain titles even if they don’t win the biggest awards.

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From the Sidelines to the Finish Line: A Chronic Illness Survivor’s Challenges and Everyday Triumphs Book Review

Full disclosure: I was given an electronic ARC of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Many memoirs like Educated have amazed me with their realness and honesty. When I think they can’t astonish me anymore, they do something extraordinary and then some. Today’s subject From the Sidelines to the Finish Line: A Chronic Illness Survivor’s Challenges and Everyday Triumphs by Emily Falcon does just that. It’s a powerful story about a woman with a congenital heart condition who survives by living the life that she wants to live.

From the Sidelines to the Finish Line: A Chronic Illness Survivor’s Challenges and Everyday Triumphs is the story of one woman’s lifelong journey with a congenital cardiac condition. In 1982, at seven weeks old, Emily had a heart attack that destroyed 40% of the left side of her heart. This led to her having multiple heart procedures, surgeries, and hospitalizations, and on top of that, she was later diagnosed with glaucoma. Balancing these conditions was the story of her life to the point that she had to ask permission from her doctors to perform activities that would be considered extraneous. Then in 2017, when things couldn’t get any better, she had her second open-heart surgery, which allowed to participate in a 5K race only eight months later. She was no longer stuck on the sidelines. Not only is this a story of survival and how her condition shaped and limited Emily, but also it’s one where she recounts the ways in which she overcame obstacles that people who live with similar conditions and their supports might face.

The memoir consists of two parts. The first is about her chronic illnesses and how she navigated through them. The second is about her life during and after her second open-heart surgery as well as how she found the ability to live with barely any limitations.

I was interested in Emily’s story from the very beginning. It’s very easy for an author to get so wrapped up in the story to the point that they are defined by what they have been through. That’s not the case for her. While she relayed the facts about her heart conditions and the two surgeries, she allowed readers to get to know her. Falcon cherishes her best friend Mabel, who also has heart issues, and loves her family, to travel, and to eat pasta whenever she can. I also thought it was cute that her mom called her Benjamin (as in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) when Emily’s condition improved after her first surgery.

I was also intrigued by how Emily felt about the whole ordeal of having a heart condition. She recounts that after confessing to people that she has congenital heart failure, they would often complement her for being so brave. However, she never felt that way because all she was doing was surviving. This was compelling since I never thought of it that way. Deciding to have a second open-heart surgery may seem brave, for it hangs on either life or death when completed. But for people like Emily, they are simply choices they have to take to extend their longevity and to thrive.

One of the themes that ran in this memoir was speaking up for one’s self. Emily explains that she always had a hard time advocating for herself because doctors and medical students would probe, prod, and look at her as if she was an object. It didn’t help that many of the professionals whom she saw were ones that came off as cold and aloof according to her. Overtime, she found cardiologists who were willing to see her as a human. This made me think, “If only she had Dr. Stephen Stowers as her cardiologist.”

Much like Stowers in Box of Birds, Emily communicates her ideas clearly. Through the book, she frequently mentions how she didn’t really know what was truly going on with her heart until she was an adult. That’s why she does her best to explain what her heart condition entails and other medical terms. Specifically, at seven weeks old, she was diagnosed with an anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA). She defines it as what happened when the “left coronary artery, which carries blood to the heart muscle, arose from the pulmonary artery instead of the aorta,” and this prevented “the heart’s blood supply from having sufficient oxygen and blood pressure” (p. 6). 

She even includes a Medical Glossary section as a reference. This is extremely helpful because the first half was all about how she dealt with her chronic illnesses, so naturally, that part was littered with that terminology.

Another theme was about not being afraid to expand one’s boundaries. As mentioned earlier, a good chunk of Emily’s life was dictated by the cardiologists. She had to be careful about what she could and couldn’t do. For example, she couldn’t participate in gym classes in the same way other kids could. Even when the teacher let the students run/walk at their own pace, she wasn’t allowed that option. That infuriated me because it’s insulting when opportunities are presented and taken away at the same time. Despite this, she had the motto, “Don’t waste a second.” This led to her traveling extensively to places like London, France, Norway, and Japan. Then, after she had her second open-heart surgery, Emily began to do other things like working temporarily in Alaska and the aforementioned 5K race without asking her doctors first. These helped her test her abilities both physically and emotionally.

To add to that point, the forward is written by Russ Hoft – President and CEO of the Hoyt Foundation. His brother Rick had cerebral palsy and was a non speaking quadriplegic, yet he and their dad ran races like the Boston Marathon. They had the motto “Yes You Can.”

While the first half of the book was super engaging, the second faltered a little bit after the 5K race section. This was because she was listing her accomplishments with some passages about how she felt about them. It’s not the first time that I’ve encountered this (*cough Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: A Sortabiography by Eric Idle). Nonetheless, her achievements are still extraordinary, and reading about them was still interesting.

From the Sidelines to the Finish Line: A Chronic Illness Survivor’s Challenges and Everyday Triumphs by Emily Falcon was an enjoyable memoir about a woman who learns to choose what she wants to do with her life despite having a cardiac condition. I loved getting to know her and her perspective on various things. This made me want to root for her when she was faced with challenges. I would recommend this to those who have similar conditions or know someone who does as well as to readers who love memoirs that tackle survival despite the obstacles. I hope memoirs continue to amaze me just like this one does.

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Blue Eyed Devil Book Review

Full disclosure: I was given an ARC of this book from Stress Free Book Marketing in exchange for an honest review.

Every now and then, the genre description of the book catches my eye. I’m always fascinated by how it identifies itself. I talked about this briefly when I reviewed the comic thriller The Bouncer by David Gordon. Recently, I came across Blue Eyed Devil by MJ McDuffie, which calls itself a paranormal political thriller. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I still read it anyway.  The best way that I can label it is what if Beauty and the Beast was a paranormal political thriller. It wasn’t perfect, but it was still entertaining.

Blue Eyed Devil is the first book in “The Celtic Seven Kings” Series. Fate intertwines when Remi Montgomery – a FBI agent who possesses the ability to see auras – and Belle Brooks – a captivating widow who finds herself untangling the dark legacy of her billionaire criminal husband – meet, and their lives are turned upside down. As their connections deepens, they become entangled in a web of mystery, secrets, and danger. On top of that, a malevolent force has set their sights on Belle. This forces the duo to navigate various obstacles like an old IRA bombing and several rigged presidential elections, which somehow factor into a miracle drug waiting for FDA approval. But how are they all connected? Belle and Remy must race against the clock to unravel the evil plot and stop the monster determined to have her at all costs.

Let’s get this out of the way. The main female character is named Belle, and the novel acknowledges this by having Remy think about how she shares the same name as the nerdiest Princess that the House of Mouse has created. The protagonist is like that character because she is smart, can be stubborn at times, and is clearly beautiful. Making this comparison made me realize that other people are similar to those in the animated Beauty and the Beast (1991). Remy is the Beast because he is described in almost a monstrous way with being big and having broad shoulders. Despite his appearance, Belle is enamored by his blue eyes. Also, he is tormented due to his grief for his dead wife. Granny – Belle’s grandma – is Maurice except she runs a sage farm. And there is Sam – Belle’s deceased husband. I thought he was like Gaston since he was incredibly good looking and an awful human being by constantly cheating on his wife. However, as the story unfolded, it was clear that he was more like a LeFou in that he was a beta male being controlled by someone else. I’m not going to spoil who the malevolent force is. All I can say is that they are a combination of Gaston and the creepy old man who runs the asylum. 

The paranormal aspect is kept to a minimum. This was done to establish both Remy’s and Belle’s abilities. The excerpt from Book 2 Green Eyed Monster (I will be disappointed if it doesn’t make any Othello references) at the end of this novel hints how the supernatural will play a bigger role. As mentioned earlier, Remy has the capability of seeing auras above people’s heads. This allows him to sense what they’re feeling, especially if they are masking them, and how trustworthy they are. This allows him to take different approaches when talking to various people about the case at hand. Meanwhile, Belle has the power to transport herself to a different time and place by touching a document to see what was going on at that time. However, she can’t do this frequently because it will take tons of energy out of her. Both abilities are well used in the book, and I look forward to seeing how they are utilized in subsequent titles.

The political side is also subdued. No one expresses their political views outright. It’s more in the exploration of certain events like the aforementioned IRA bombing and rigged presidential elections. In addition, a secret society called the Seven Kings is involved. I’m not entirely sure if they are a political organization, but then again, 14 US Presidents were a part of the Freemasons. The politics is more basic because the book wants to explore the human side of it, especially how those events personally relate to Remy and Belle. Out of the three descriptors of this book, this one feels the least important because of how it’s utilized in the story. Maybe it will be explored more in future titles.

As for the thriller aspect, this was the one that let me down the most. Granted, it’s a slow burn, and that can be done well. This is close, but no cigar. If McDuffie had less scenes involving the main characters going over the facts, the plot would’ve had better pacing. However, there were parts that had me fully invested. This included a scene in which Granny’s house gets blown up. In addition, the ending was unsettling in a good way.

Even though the paranormal, political, and thriller sides weren’t fully intriguing, the possible romance was. Throughout the novel, Belle and Remy have instant chemistry, yet it’s played like a will-they-won’t-they story. They both have lost a spouse, but they have their reasons for not initially trusting each other. For Remy, it’s because Belle is stubborn, and Sam was a friend of his who later made his life miserable. As for Belle, she is grappling with Sam’s death, and she sees Remy as a blue eyed devil (title drop!). They butt heads throughout, yet in the moments when they open up and reveal the trauma they’ve been through, they become closer. It’s these passages that are the strongest elements in the story. It’s truly tested when Belle finds a note from Sam written before he died that makes her believe that Remy was betraying her. I can’t wait to see how their relationship plays out in the rest of the series.

In addition, there’s a recipe for cinnamon rolls in the back of the book, and it’s supposedly created by Granny. I don’t know if this was all that necessary because I’m not sure if those sweets were even mentioned. I would expect this out of a mystery written by Joanne Fluke. Nevertheless, it’s still nice to have that. I might make it at some point.

Blue Eyed Devil by MJ McDuffie is overhyped in the paranormal political thriller sense, but it was still entertaining. The first two genre labels felt subdued, while the third could’ve been better with tighter pacing. Nonetheless, it had me invested when necessary. Remy and Belle are engaging characters, and I always looked forward to the quieter moments where they opened up to each other. While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for readers who like political-based books and thrillers, I would suggest it to those who like the supernatural, titles dealing with grief, and Beauty and the Beast retellings. Even though Blue Eyed Devil didn’t quite work, I have no regrets reading it. At least I know what a paranormal political thriller can be.

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Laws of Annihilation Book Review

Full disclosure: I was given an ARC of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

There’s one topic that I haven’t discussed before on this website: celebrities writing fiction. They mainly do it to show people that they are talented in other outlets. It’s a make-it or break-it scenario since there are some that are really good at it like Tom Hanks, and there are others that are not so much like Tyra Banks. I read a book recently that thankfully falls into the former category. Laws of Annihilation by Eriq La Salle, who is best known for his role as Dr. Peter Benton on ER, is a great crime fiction story with engaging characters and story.

Laws of Annihilation is the third book in the “Martyr Maker” series. A heat wave is passing through New York City, and tensions between the black and Hasidic communities have increased since a tragic incident left a Black teenager dead. However, when two rabbis are killed in such a gruesome way, it displays the signs of retaliation. Meanwhile, agent Janet Maclin’s dreams of becoming the first female FBI director comes crashing down when she discovers that she has stage IV cancer. Despite that, she is willing to help NYPD detectives Phee Freeman and Quincy Cavanaugh find the killer as more hate crimes push the city to the edge and into an all-out war. As the body count climbs, time is running out for Janet in more ways than one.

I haven’t read the first two books in the “Martyr Maker” series, but from what I understand, the first book Laws of Depravity establishes the three main characters Janet, Phee, and Quincy; what they do; and how they work together. The second title Laws of Wrath emphasizes Phee’s personal struggles, especially while coping with his brother’s death. 

In this case, Laws of Annihilation focuses on Janet and how she wrestles death with her diagnosis and religion since she was raised Jewish even though she’s not that religious. I really liked Janet since she gave me Sandra Bullock-Mariska Hargitary vibes. Much like those actresses, Janet was tough on the outside and felt fine with being a loner, yet she could be vulnerable on the inside and realizes that having people around can be good whether it’s her co-workers/friends Phee and Quincy or her friends-with-benefit/boyfriend Losher.

Many of the other characters are also fully realized. Phee is a devoted Black husband and father, but he can also have a temper and may not always see eye to eye with Janet. He is willing to bend the rules of the law in order to catch the criminals they are after. In addition, in various chapters, two mutilated people – a African-American man named Spider and a Jewish man named Ezra – are locked up in the basement of a slaughterhouse. Both have their prejudices against each other. Spider despises Jewish people because he believes that they were responsible for his teenaged nephew’s death. Ezra, who is the son of a Rebbe, hates Black people since he was attacked by a group of them when he was in college years ago. Over the course of the book, they find ways to understand each other even if they don’t have their fingers or eyes.

Quincy, who is of Irish-Italian descent, is basically the most reasonable and middle ground of the three. He’s not as developed compared to Janet or Phee. However, the epilogue sets up what will probably be another book in the series with the focus being on him.

As I mentioned earlier, I am usually wary of celebrities writing fiction, but Eriq La Salle is a good writer. Along with character development, he is able to allow the plot to unfold in natural ways. Funny enough, many of the chapters would end on some form of a cliff hanger. Both the story and character work hand in hand that allows readers to be invested in both. It felt like the “Armand Gamache” series by Louise Penny, for the people matter as much as the plot.

Since the story involves prejudice and race wars, there are plenty of instances in which characters contemplate what it means to be a certain race like black or Jewish. Specifically, they wonder how they developed their thoughts on others throughout their entire lives. I’ve already mentioned about Janet, Spider, and Ezra, but even the son of a white supremacist business man displays moments of sadness and anger for a Black man that gets lynched at a Fourth of July celebration. What that boy does at the end is astonishing.

I will warn readers that the scenes involving violence can be gritty and gruesome. Like I mentioned earlier, Spider and Ezra are beaten to a pulp, with Spider’s fingers getting cut off, and Ezra being blinded. Even the lynching scene and descriptions of the body afterwards are intentionally horrific. It’s understandable as to why La Salle portrays those deaths and the investigations in that way. In addition to being an actor, he has directed various episodes for shows like Law and Order and CSI: NY. Those dramas would discuss crimes in great detail no matter how uncomfortable it can be for audiences because that reflects the reality of the work. This explains why the majority of the chapters would end on a dramatic cliffhanger.

Laws of Annihilation by Eriq La Salle is not only a great piece of fiction by a celebrity, but also it’s excellent in general. It didn’t matter that I never read the first two books in the series, for I immediately got the sense of who the main characters were and understood why they worked so well together. The plot was also engaging as many of the people in the novel give serious thought as to why their prejudices are what they are. It all feels like a title in the “Armand Gamache” series by Louise Penny, in which the characters, their struggles, and dynamics matter as much as the mystery and the suspense. I would definitely recommend this to those who love crime fiction, titles that deal with prejudice in a multitude of ways, and who enjoy the work of Eriq La Salle both onscreen and offscreen. The book is out, so go check it out if you haven’t already. In the meantime, I’m going to begin reading Laws of Depravity and Laws of Wrath as well as wait patiently for the fourth book to come out.

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NeuroMastery: Retraining Your Brain to Conquer Anxiety, Fear, and Panic Attacks Book Review

Full disclosure: I was given an ARC of this book from Stress Free Book Marketing in exchange for an honest review.

It’s no secret that mental health has become a more prominent issue in today’s life. Plenty of self-help books have come out to address it in a variety of ways. But, have any of them gone inside the brain? I have come across one recently that explores the neurological side of having mental wellness issues called NeuroMastery: Retraining Your Brain to Conquer Anxiety, Fear, and Panic Attacks by Ugochukwu Uche MS., LPC. It’s a unique book that gives tips to readers on how they can gradually rewire their brain to overcome the problems mentioned even if it repeats itself constantly.

Based on the latest cognitive neuroscience and counseling psychological research, NeuroMastery: Retraining Your Brain to Conquer Anxiety, Fear, and Panic Attacks offers a comprehensive guide to reshaping one’s brain to improve responses to anxiety, fear, and panic attacks. One will learn about the brain’s anatomy, the trail that stress takes through the brain, and how negative thoughts contribute to anxiety and fear. The book also introduces readers to effective cognitive behavioral strategies, mindfulness techniques, and lifestyle modifications to manage anxiety. One can learn to face one’s fears through exposure and desensitization and discover how resilience and positive change can be nurtured through understanding and harnessing neuroplasticity. It’s a road map to a calmer, more controlled, and resilient life. 

As one will probably figure out from that summary, NeutroMastery focuses more on what the brain does while someone is experiencing anxiety, fear, and/or panic attacks. There are plenty of books that discuss how to overcome those states through various measures, but as far I know, not many discuss what the cerebellum functions while dealing with those emotions. The first half of this title greatly details what the brain experiences while going through anxiety, fear, and panic attacks. These involve parts of the brain like the amygdala – “a small, almond-shaped structure deep within the brain’s temporal lobes” that interprets “sensory information information and [initiates] the body’s response to danger;” the prefrontal cortex, which plays a crucial role in managing emotional responses triggered by the amygdala; and the hippocampus, which is responsible for “[storing] and [retrieving] memories related to fear and trauma” (p.5-6).

These sections will delight readers who are interested in the neurological side of mental health. Personally, I have dealt with anxiety, fear, and panic attacks, and it helps me to understand how and why my brain responds to things that trigger me. However, I can see how others can be bored by them, especially if they never really liked biology to begin with, because it is super into explaining how the brain operates in those states. 

The second half emphasizes various treatments. This includes cognitive behavioral and exposure therapies, mindfulness and relaxation techniques, desensitization, yoga, eating healthy, getting plenty of sleep, and thinking more positive thoughts (p.55-103). Uche goes through assessment and how to apply each one although he is quick to mention that one treatment may work for some, but not for others. In addition, he stresses that these should be conducted by a trained mental health professional. These sections are a lot more fascinating to read about because the author is clearly invested in exploring each option. This love even gets spilled over to the first half as a way to tease the readers of what is to come.

At the end of each chapter, Uche provides a story about a woman named Lucy who has panic attacks whenever she drives or has thoughts about driving. Her gradual journey in retraining her brain unfolds throughout the book, and it provides a good way to apply what he has been saying into a real world scenario. Without it, not many readers would fully understand the handbook.

My complaint is that Uche has a tendency to repeat himself a lot. Now, I understand that this is necessary in self-help books in order to drill what they say into the readers’ heads. In this case, the author’s repetition is frequent. What do I mean by this? He’ll introduce a concept on one page. Then, he says roughly the same thing a few pages later. I swore I was having deja vu when reading certain sections because they sounded so identical. For example, Uche talks about the feedback loop of fear, which is a “self-perpetuating cycle of fear and anxiety” (p. 26).

In the paragraph that describes the feedback loop of fear, it starts off like this:

“The feedback loop of fear starts with an initial trigger—an event, situation, or even a thought that the brain interprets as threatening. This trigger activates the amygdala, the brain’s alarm center, sparking a cascade of physiological responses—the fight, flight, or freeze response” (p. 26)

A few pages later, he summarizes his point like this:

“The feedback loop of fear begins with a trigger—a situation, thought, or sensation perceived as threatening. This trigger activates the amygdala, leading to a fight, flight, or freeze response, which involves various physiological changes such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and heightened alertness” (p.29).

While it’s not quite copy and paste, I had to do a double take just to make sure I wasn’t re-reading the same thing.

Another thing I thought of is that this book is certainly useful for people whose lives are divided because of the trauma they experienced. In other words, there was life before and after the event. But what about those who suffered through trauma before they even started to remember? There are plenty of people who basically grew up with anxiety, fear, and panic attacks like growing up in an abusive environment. Uche doesn’t really address that, and I wish he did.

Overall, NeuroMastery: Retraining Your Brain to Conquer Anxiety, Fear, and Panic Attacks by Ugochukwu Uche MS., LPC is a unique look at anxiety, fear, and panic attacks and how one can overcome them by understanding how the brain functions. While it’s clear that the author is very knowledgeable about the subject, he could’ve conveyed how the brain operates while under those states more effectively, so all readers regardless of their personal interests would get. Nevertheless, readers will certainly learn about the neurological side of dealing with mental wellness issues as well as how various treatments affect the cerebellum. Since the book is out tomorrow, Tuesday, October 24, I would recommend this book to those who are into the science aspects of mental health, especially those who are biology and psychology students. It may help to retrain some brains to conquer anxiety, fear, and panic attacks, but possibly not others, particularly those who would need a more traditional approach to conquering those problems.

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